Elevator safety device



. UNITED STATES a PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES COOPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR SAFETY DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,257, dated September 21, 1897'. Application filed December 21, 1896. Serial No. 616,450. (No model.)

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Safety Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My-invention relates to safety devices for elevators, and has for its object to provide an improved safety device, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic, of an elevator system provided with a safety device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the controlling device associated with the door of the elevator. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the locking device which looks the motor.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In operating elevatorssuch, for example, as passenger-elevatorsit is very desirable to have a safetymechanism associated with the elevators which prevents the elevator-car from being started while the door is open, thereby preventing any possible injury to passengers by leaving the elevator-car while such elevator-car'is in motion. My invention has for its object the production of such a safety device, and the mechanism is so constructed that the motor mechanism for the elevator is locked against motion before the doorbecomes unlocked, thereby making it impossible to open the door before the mechanism is locked. I prefer to have the safety device operated by means of the same mechanism used to operate the doors.

The drawing herewith presented, in which I have illustrated my invention, is in a great measure diagrammatic and is simply shown in order to illustrate an operative mechanism embodying my invention, it being of course evident that the different parts herein shown ated on the elevator-car. I have not shown such controlling device, as many diiferent kinds of such controlling devices are well known to those versed in the art and as such controlling device is no part of my invention.

Connected in any desirable manner with the valve-rod A is a rod -13, which. maybe part thereof, as shown. The rod B reciprocates in a sleeve B, supported in any desirable manner and is provided with a notch or cut-away part 13 A pin B works in an openingin the sleeve B and is adapted when inwardly pressed to enter the notch 13 and prevent the rod B, and hence the valve-rod A, from being moved. The notch 13 is so situated that the pin B3 can only enter it when the valve is closed, so as'to prevent the motor mechanism from being operated. It will therefore be seen that these parts constitute a locking device wherein the two parts are free to move with relation to each other when the driving mechanism is inmotion, but which are adapted to be locked together when the driving mechanism is at rest.

The pin B engages the lever B and is normally outwardly pressed by means of the spring B so as to be normally: disengaged from the rod B. The lever B is connected .to a cord or other power-transmitting device Bf, which extends along the elevator-shaft and which is adapted to be connected with the different doors at the different floors. As illustrated in the drawings, this cord is connected with an arm 0 associated with each door and passes through suitable guides C, as shown, so as not to be pulled out. of position when the door is opened. The arm Ois connected with the sliding piece C attached to the door. This sliding piece works in suitable guides, so jthat it can be reciprocated,

and is preferably provided with a. projection any manner moving the latch C. Said sliding piece is, however, beveled near the end, as at D, so that a further movement of the sliding piece moves the pin 0 downwardly and raises the latch, so as to release the door and allow it to be opened. A spring D normally'tends to pull thesliding piece 0 to its norm al positionthatis,to the position shown inFig. 2. A pawl E is pivoted in proximity to the sliding piece 0 the end of said latch adapted to engage the notch E in the sliding piece when said sliding piece has been moved so as to open the door, thereby holding it in such position. The end E of the pawl is curved or beveled, as shown, and is adapted to be lifted when it engages the part E thereby releasing the sliding piece and latch.

Since the pin B associated with the valve, can only move a short distance, some construction must be used which will allow a large movement of the door, while the pin moves a short distance. I have shown one means of accomplishing this by interposing a coil-spring F between the door and the pin, said spring allowing the door to be moved after the pin has entered the notch B I have shown my device as applied to a hydraulic elevator; but it is of course evident that it may be used in connection with elevators run by any kind of a motor, the moving element by which the motor is controlled being provided with a locking device connected with the elevator-door.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

\Vhen theelevator-doors are closed, the

motor which drives the elevator can be operated at will. If now the elevator car is stopped and it is desired to open the door, the elevator-boy grasps the sliding piece 0 and moves it in the direction of the arrow. The first movement of this sliding piece causes a pull on the cord B thereby moving the lever B and forcing the pin 13 inwardly. Said pin engages the notch 13 in the rod B, thereby preventing the elevator mechanism from being started. As the sliding piece 0 is given a further movement the beveled surface D, coming in contact with the pin C moves said pin downwardly, thereby moving the end C of the latch C upwardly, so as to release the door. The pawl E at the same time engages the notch in said'sliding piece and holds it in position so that the pin 13 will not be removed from the notch 13 and the rod B. The door is now opened by the pull of the elevator-boy and the passengers may enter or alight in safety, as it is impossible for the elevator-boy to start the motor mechanism. lVhen it is desired to close the door, said door is moved toward its closed position, the motor mechanism being locked during this movement, and when the end E of the pawl E engages the part E the pawl is disengaged from the sliding piece 0 and said sliding iece moves to 'its normal position, causing the door to become locked. It

will therefore be seen that by means of my mechanism the motor mechanism which drives the elevator is locked in an inoperative position before the elevator-door begins to openthat is, before the elevator-door is unl0ckedand is held in such inoperative position during the period the door is open and until the door becomes again locked.

I have used the term latch in the speci fication and claims, but I mean by latch any engaging device which holds the door closed.

I claim- 1. The combination with the motor mechanism of an elevator of a locking device adapted to lock said motor mechanism in an inoperative position, a connection between said locking device and the elevator-doors on the several floors, said connection being such that the locking device is operated before the door becomes unlocked.

2. The combination with an elevator mechanism of a safety device comprising a lockerating said lockin g device before unlocking the door.

3. The combination with the driving mechanism of an elevator of a moving element by which said driving mechanism is controlled, a locking device for said moving element comprising two parts free to move with relation to each other, at all times when the driving mechanism is in motion, but which are adapted to be locked together when the driving mechanism is at rest, a movable part associated with the elevator-door and adapted to control the door-latch, said movable part connected with said locking device so as to operate the same when moved, a connection between said movable part and the door-latch, said connection being such that said movable part is free to move a predetermined distance before the latch is operated, such movement operating such locking device and locking the driving mechanism in an inoperative position before the door is unlocked.

4. The combination with a driving mechanism of an elevator of a moving element by which said driving mechanism is controlled, :1 locking device for said moving element, a movable part associated with the elevatordoor and adapted to control the door latch,

able part and adapted to engage a surface on said movable part, said surface being beveled a portion of its length so that said movable part may be moved for a predetermined distance before the beveled surface engages said pin.

5. The combination with a driving mechanism of an elevator of a movable element by device at the side of the elevator-shaft, a pin interposed between said latch and said movable part and adapted to engage a surface on said movable part, said surface beveled a portion of its length, so that said movable part may be moved for a predetermined distance before the beveledsurface engages said pin, whereby the said movable element is locked before the elevator-door is unlocked, and a holding device associated with said movable part on the door and adapted to hold it in its retracted position while the door is open.

JAMES COOPER. lVitnesses DONALD M. CARTER, BERTHA C. SIMS. 

